Starter motor drive



May 23, 1933. o. A. PALM El AL STARTER MOTOR DRIVE Filed Feb. 20, 1952 INVENTORJ, 03am fi. P/u/v.

V/c TOl? P1711.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED I STATES OSCAR A. PALM AND VICTOR PALM, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN STARTER moron naive e 3 Application filed rebruar 'zo, .1932. Serial No; 594,218.

Our invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a starter motor drive adapted for use on starter motors and intended to provide a connection between the starter motor and the engine which is to be started.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a starter motor drive of this class,

which will be simple in'structure, economical of manufacture, durable, highly efiicient in use, compact, and easily and quickly assembled.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in a device of this class a gear,

which is axially movable into operative and 5 inoperative position and which is provided with yieldable, frictional means for resisting axial movement so as to prevent undue movement of the gear from inoperative ,to operative position.

Gther obj ectswill appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, central, vertical, sectional view of the invention, showing the gear in inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view with parts broken away and parts shown in section.

7 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1. j

Fig. 5 is afragmentary, sectional view of a modified form of the invention with parts broken away. 40 The invention is adapted for use with a shaft 7 which projects outwardly from a starter motor 8 and driven thereby. This motor is located in proximity to the gear 9, which is fixedly mounted on the driving shaft of the internal combustion engine, which. it is designed to start. Fixedly mounted on the end of the shaft 7 is a collar 10Vinto which is threaded the set screw 11. This set screw is projected through the eyelet 12 formed on one end of the coil spring 13, which embraces the sleeve 14 loosely positioned on the shaft 7- The collar 10 is cut away as at15 and the sleeve14 is recessedas at 16, sothat these parts at this particular location overlap.

Formed in the periphery of the sleeve 14 are two spiral grooves 17 and 18, each of which terminates with an offsetend 19.

Embracing the shaft 7 is a bushing 20, which is adapted to engage the face of the motor 8 and the end of'the sleeve 14 so as to prevent axial movement of the sleeve 14. Slidable and rotatable on the bushing 20, which is of hard metal to prevent wear of the shaft 7, is the starter gear 21 which carries the cup-shaped sleeve 22 which embraces the endof the sleeve 14, and is rotatable and axially movable thereon. A ball 23 is positioned in a recess 24 formed in the sleeve14 and normally forced by the spring 25 to pro ject into engagement with the innersurface 0 of the cup-shaped portion 22 and resist movement of these parts, so that any undue movement of the gear 21 relatively to the sleeve 14 will be prevented. Positioned in'pockets 26 and 27 formed in the cup-shaped portion 22 are balls 28 and 29 respectively, each adapted to engage in one of the grooves 17 or 18. The cup-shaped portion is cut away as at 30, andon this cut away portion is positioned a retainer ring 31, which serves to retain the balls 28 and 29 in position in the pockets 26 and 27 A wire spring clip 32 having the inturned ends 33 and 34 is provided to lock the retainer ring31 on the cup-shaped portion 22. These inturned ends 33 and 34 project through an opening formed in. the ring 31 and into the passages 35 formed in the cup-shaped portion 22. The construction is such that when the retainer ring 31 is in v position the balls will rest in the pockets 26. and 27, and also engage inthe grooves 17 and 18. In the form shown in Fig. 5 we have provided a split resilient retaining ring 36 so that the wire clip 32 may be dispensed with, this member 36 serving the function of the retainer ring 31. r

The construction is such that when the shaft 7 is rotated by the motor 8 the collar 10 will carry'with it in its rotation the end of the coiled spring 13 and the spring 13 will 5 fixedly mounted on said driving shaft; a

thus be wound tightly upon the sleeve 14 and effect a rotation of the sleeve 14 in uni- "son with the collar 10. As the sleeve 14 rotional connection and one in whichthe gear 21 will be free to move in one direction, automatically becoming released from the frictlonal connection upon rotation of the gear 21 in onedirection at a greater speed than the rotationof the collar 10. As the gear 21.

rotates at a greater speed in one direction than the collar 10 a reverse axial movement of the gear will be effected, thus moving the gear 21 out of mesh with the-gear 9. On account of the coiled spring connection should a sudden backward thrust bedelivered to the gear 21 as might result from a back fire or the like, the spring connection will permit such release of the connecting parts as to allow the gear 21 to move 1n a reverse direction thus relieving the device of the, v sudden strain and adding to its durability.

WVhile we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction,.we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise detalls of structure shown, but we'deslre to i avail ourselves of such varlatlons and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is p 1. A starter motor drive of the class described adapted for use with a starter motor having a driving shaft comprising: a collar fixedly -mounted on said driving shaft; a sleeve loosely mounted on said driving shaft; means for preventing axial movement of said sleeve on said driving shaft; a coiled spring connected to said collar and embracing one end'of said sleeve; a gear axially movable- -on sa1d driving shaft; a sleeve forming member carried by said'gear and embracing one end of said first mentioned sleeve, sa1d first mentioned sleeve having formed in its periphery at the portion embraced by said sleeve forming portion spirally directed grooves; and meanscarried by said sleeve forming portion engageable in said grooves and effecting upon engagement of the same with the ends of said grooves the rotation of said sleeve forming portion in unison with said first mentioned sleeve.-

2. A starter motor drive of the class described adapted for use with a starter motor having a driving shaft comprising: a collar mentioned sleeve having formed' in its sleeve loosely mounted on said driving shaft; means for preventing axial movement of said sleeve on said driving shaft; a coiled spring connected to said collar and embracing one end of said sleeve; a gear axially movable on said driving shaft; a sleeve forming member carried by said gear and embracing one end of said first mentioned sleeve, said first p ripheryat the portion embraced by said sleeve forming portion spirally directed grooves;

and means carried by said sleeve forming por- 'tion enga'geable in said grooves and eifecting upon engagement of the same with the ends or said *grooves the' rotation of said sleeve forming; port-iqn in unison with said first mentioned-sleeve{and hence carriedby said first mentioned sleeve for resisting relative movement of said firstmentio'ned sleeve "and said'sleeve'forming portion. 7

3. A1 starter motor drive of the class describedada'pted' for use with a motor having a driving shaft comprising: a collar fixedly mounted on said driving shaft; a sleeve loosely mounted on said driving shaft; means for preventing axial movement of said sleeve on said shaft; a spring connected at one end to said collar and embracing one end of said sleeve, theopposite end of said spring being loose;'a 'gear loosely mounted on said shaft; means carried by said sleeve for effecting axial movementof said gear, a predetermined distance, uponrotation of said sleeve and then, aftersaid axial movement, effecting a rotation of said gear in unison with said sleeve; and yleldable means for reslsting un- 7 due relative lmovement of "said sleeve and saidgear.

41. A starter motor drive of the class described adaptedfor use with a motor having a driving shaft comprisingz'a collar fixedly mounted on the driving shaft; a spring em bracing said collar and connected at one end thereto and projecting at its'opposite end beyond the end of said collar; asleeve loosely positioned on said shaft and embraced at one end by the loose end of said spring, said sleeve having spiral grooves formed therein; a gear 'looselymounted onsaid shaft; a cup,- shaped portion carried by said gear'and embracing the grooved portion of said-sleeve,

said cup-shaped portion having pockets formedtherein; aball mounted in'each of said pockets and engaging in one 'of' said grooves; and a retaining ring mounted on saidcup-shaped portion over said pockets for retaining said balls in said pockets.

.5. A starter motor drive of the class de-:

scribed adapted for use "with a motor having a driving shaft comprisingi'a collar fixedly bracing saidfcoll'ar' and connected at one end-thereto and projecting at its opposite end '125 mountedon the driving shaft; a spring emend by the loose end of said spring, said sleeve having spiral grooves formed therein; a gear loosely mounted on said shaft; a cupshaped portion carried by said gear and embracing the grooved portion of said sleeve,

[said cup-shaped portion having pockets formed therein; a ball mounted in each of said pockets and engaging in one of said grooves; a retaining ring mounted on said cup-shaped portion over said pockets for retaining said balls 'in said pockets; and resilient means for retaining said ring in position on said cup-shaped portion.

6. A starter motor drive of the class described adapted for use with a motor having a driving shaft comprising: a collar fixedly mounted on the driving shaft; a spring embracing said collar and connected at one end thereto and proj eating at its opposite end beyond the end of said collar; a sleeve loosely positioned on said shaft and embraced at one end by the loose end of said spring, said sleeve having spiral grooves formed therein; a gear loosely mounted on said shaft; a cupshaped portion carried by said ear and embracing the grooved portion of said sleeve, said cup-shaped portion having pockets formed therein; a ball mounted in each of said pockets and engaging in one of said grooves; a retaining ring mounted on said cup-shaped portion over said pockets retaining said balls in said pockets; and yieldable means carried by said sleeve engageable With the inner surface of said cup-shaped portion for resisting undue relative movement of said cup-shaped portion and said sleeve. I In testimony whereof We have signed the foregoing specifications.

' OSCAR A. PALM.

VICTOR PALM. 

